Paris, Ontario

Encyclopedia : P : PA : PAR : Paris, Ontario

Paris (2001 population, 9,881) is a town on the Grand River in Ontario, Canada. In 1999, its town government was amalgamated into the County of Brant, thus ending 149 years of being a free and distinct municipality.

The town was first settled in 1829 when Hiram Capron bought the land and built a mill on the present townsite. The town of Paris was officially established in 1850. Since the late 1990s, Paris has experienced substantial population growth, which may be in part attributed to the rising popularity of rural communities among GTA boundcommuters (see bedroom community).

The first long distance telephone call was made on August 10, 1876 by Alexander Graham Bell's father from downtown Brantford. Alexander Graham Bell received the call at what is now 91 Grand River St. North, Paris. It was a boot shop and a telegraph office at that time. Paris is also the transmitter site for a number of broadcast stations serving the Brantford and Kitchener-Waterloo areas. The actual tower site is 475 Ayr Road, just south of Ayr, and was erected and owned by Global in [1973] for CIII-TV. It leases space for broadcast clients including Conestoga College's campus radio station CJIQ as well as rebroadcasters of CBLA, CBL-FM, CJBC-FM and CBLN-1.

Paris is referred to not only as "the cobblestone capital of Canada" (in reference to a number of aged cobblestone houses) but also as "the prettiest town in Canada". Paris is located at [43°12′N 80°23′W].

Paris was named for the nearby deposits of gypsum, used to make Plaster of Paris.

Famous people

Syl Apps, Olympian, Toronto Maple Leafs player and Member of Provincial Parliament
Todd Brooker, alpine skier
Deborah Ellis, writer of award-winning children's novels
Natasha Filliol (nee Yaremczuk), Olympic triathlete
Phyllis Gretzky (nee Hockin), mother of Wayne Gretzky
D. Gregor Hagey, feature film cinematographer
Elysia Muise, Canadian Winter Games 2003 gold medalist for ringette
Ted Reader, celebrity chef
Linda Schuyler, television producer of Degrassi
Barry Silverthorn, documentary producer of The End of Suburbia
Albert Walker, infamous conman and convicted killer
Jay Wells, New York Rangers player and Stanley Cup champion
John Bemrose, author of The Island Walkers

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